Giants Blast Rockies Again

Starting pitcher Jeff Francis of the Colorado Rockies delivers to home plate during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on August 4, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)Starting pitcher Jeff Francis of the Colorado Rockies delivers to home plate during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on August 4, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

DENVER (AP) — Angel Pagan homered and had four hits to back a solid outing by Madison Bumgarner that sent the San Francisco Giants past the Colorado Rockies 11-6 Saturday night.

Buster Posey and Melky Cabrera also homered as the Giants pounded out a season-high 17 hits and beat Colorado for the fifth time in seven games this season, including four of five at Coors Field. It was the Rockies’ 10th loss in their last 12 games.

San Francisco had 16 hits in a 16-4 rout of Colorado on Friday night.

Bumgarner (12-6) allowed one run and five hits in six strong innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Pagan and Posey each had three RBIs to help the Giants win consecutive games after a 1-7 skid. They own a half-game lead over second-place Los Angeles in the NL West.

Jeff Francis (3-4) was tagged for six runs on nine hits in 3 2-3 innings in his second-shortest outing since joining the Rockies in early June after beginning the year in Cincinnati’s farm system. He struck out three and walked two.

Trailing 6-0, the Rockies got on the board when Josh Rutledge hit a solo homer off Bumgarner with one out in the sixth.

The Rockies rallied for a pair of runs off reliever Brad Penny in the seventh, getting an RBI single from Jonathan Herrera and a run-scoring double from rookie Matt McBride, who singled for his first major league hit earlier in the game.

But the Giants came back to tack on four more runs in the eighth. Brandon Belt doubled to start the inning and Pagan drove him in with a single. Ryan Theriot followed with an RBI double and, after Cabrera walked, Posey singled for his third RBI of the night. Gregor Blanco’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly finished the outburst.

Pagan hit a solo shot off Rex Brothers in the ninth after the Rockies scored a pair of runs on Ramon Hernandez’s double and a wild pitch by Sergio Romo that allowed Dexter Fowler to score from third base.

Cabrera put the Giants in front 3-0 in the third when he connected for his 11th homer, a solo shot off Francis that sailed into the left-field bleachers.

San Francisco got three more runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Joaquin Arias and Pagan and a bases-loaded walk to Cabrera, one of four walks he drew on the night.

The Giants broke on top in the first. Cabrera drew a two-out walk and Posey followed by driving an 85 mph fastball from Francis onto the mezzanine behind the left-field bleachers for his 16th home run of the season and second in two nights.

NOTES: Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he’s contemplating using third baseman Pablo Sandoval at first base now and then to cut down the risk of re-injury when he returns from his stay on the 15-day disabled list because of a left hamstring strain. … The Rockies placed OF Michael Cuddyer (strained right oblique) and LHP Christian Friedrich (stress fracture, lower back) on the 15-day DL and recalled INF-OF Matt McBride and RHP Edgmer Escalona from Triple-A Colorado Springs. … Pinch-hitter DJ LeMahieu had an RBI single in the ninth for Colorado.